Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has strongly criticised Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing him of turning New Democracy into a “personal property” and abandoning its conservative roots.
Speaking in an in-depth interview on Sunday, November 9, on ANT1 television, Samaras said he was “deeply disappointed” with the direction of the party and left open the possibility of forming a new political movement.
“The New Democracy I once led was a party of principles, not of ownership,” Samaras said. “When a party forgets its values and becomes a personal enterprise, it loses its soul.”
The former Prime Minister, who was expelled from the party earlier this year, said he had been “removed hastily and unfairly” but insisted he held no personal grudges. “My differences with Mr Mitsotakis are not personal. They are ideological,” he declared. “The problem is not that Samaras dislikes Mitsotakis — the problem is that Mitsotakis dislikes the Right.”
Samaras claimed that recent polls show him drawing support of up to 16 percent without having yet announced a political party, suggesting widespread disillusionment among conservative voters. “The people feel betrayed and abandoned,” he said, hinting that a political realignment may be inevitable.
He accused the government of mishandling key issues such as the economy, migration, and national security, arguing that Greece “needs a new beginning, based on honesty, conviction, and leadership ready to take risks.”
Samaras also hinted that he would soon make an announcement about his political future: “I will act calmly and responsibly, but I will not stay silent when the principles of our movement are being eroded.”
His remarks have reignited speculation in Athens about the creation of a new right-wing party that could challenge New Democracy’s dominance ahead of the next elections. While Samaras stopped short of confirming such a step, his tone left little doubt that his political comeback is under serious consideration.
